VMware exam resources

Forbes Guthrie7 Comments

Here’s my list of VMware exam study resources. I realize that a lot of fellow bloggers have created similar lists, and I always try avoid what the rest of the madding crowd are doing, however in this case I’m happy to follow along. Firstly I need the list for myself. Yep, I haven’t actually sat the VCP4 yet, and I need to get it done by the end of the year. Secondly, a lot of people come to my site as a resource for their studying, so I think its only appropriate that I share with them the tools which I’ll be using.

Below all the VCP4 links I’m also listing some VCDX resources. Maybe these will motivate me to take some more exams 🙂

Now, I have a conundrum before I even register for the exam. There are 2 offers at the moment which I’m eligible for, which you might be interested in:

  1. If you attended this year’s VMworld, then you can get a 30% discount on the cost of the exam if you go here (offer at the bottom of the page): http://www.vmware.com/vmwarestore/vmworld-exclusive-offers.html
  2. If you are an existing VCP or have attended the Fast Track course, then you can apply for a special voucher which gives you a free resit if you fail at the first attempt. Here is the link to register: http://mylearn.vmware.com/mgrReg/courses.cfm?ui=www&a=one&id_subject=17662 and the instructions: http://www.pearsonvue.com/VMware/Upgrade

If you want to take advantage of either of these offers, make sure you register for them before you book the exam.

So here’s the conundrum. Do I feel confident enough to grab the 30% discount and wave the free re-sit? Answers below in the comments please =S

OK, so here’s the advice I’ll be following to revise for the VCP4:

  1. Check for latest updates on VMware’s Education Services portal: http://mylearn.vmware.com/portals/certification/
  2. Review the VCP Blueprint carefully, understand each point, both the theory behind it and how to do things in practice: http://mylearn.vmware.com/lcms/mL_faq/2726/VCPonvSphere4ExamBlueprint.pdf

Things to learn:

  1. Official VMware documentation. There shouldn’t be anything on a VCP exam that isn’t in these. If you use the blueprints, you can tailor your reading to concentrate on the right areas: http://www.vmware.com/support/pubs/vs_pages/vsp_pubs_esx40_vc40.html
  2. Pay particular attention to the latest Configuration Maximums document: http://www.vmware.com/pdf/vsphere4/r40/vsp_40_config_max.pdf
  3. My documentation notes: http://www.vreference.com/vsphere4-notes/
  4. My reference card: http://www.vreference.com/vsphere4-card/

Here are some ways to now test and practice what you’ve just learnt:

  1. VMware mock exam: http://mylearn.vmware.com/quiz.cfm?item=15211
  2. Simon Long’s practise exam: http://www.simonlong.co.uk/blog/vcp-vsphere-4-practice-exam/
  3. Barry Coombs’ cue cards: http://virtualisedreality.wordpress.com/vcp-in-vsphere-4-0-study-notes/

Finally here are some final words of advice about the exam itself so you know what coming:

  1. Scott Vessey’s training site: http://vmwaretraining.blogspot.com/2009/09/studying-for-vcp-on-vsphere-4.html
  2. Eric Sloof’s post on VCP4 exam scoring: http://www.ntpro.nl/blog/archives/1255-VCP-on-vSphere-4-Exam-Scoring.html
  3. Jason Boche’s VCP4 experiences: http://www.boche.net/blog/index.php/2009/09/05/vcp4-exam/

As I find more exam resources I’ll update this post. Keep checking back or subscribe to the RSS feed to make sure you don’t miss anything.

Here are some links for the VCDX certification that I’ve also collected along the way.

7 thoughts on “VMware exam resources”

  1. I went for the 30% now vs. possible 100% later – I’ll let you know how it turns out in a little over a week.

    P.S. BCIT Downtown is the only VUE site in Vancouver offering the exam and its schedule is packed – you might have to drive to Surrey.

    Reply

    1. Best of luck Andrew. Good tip about the testing center, I don’t want to have to go all the way to Surrey. I was wanting to book it for sometime in the next couple of weeks. Do you how long the queue is?

      Reply

  2. Thanks for the collation of resources, very handy as I’m in the midst of preparing for my VCP4, booked for sitting by the end of this month. I’ve gone for the free retake….

    One comment I would make is that the VMware documentation is not infallible, so if something doesn’t seem right, validate it against other docs or in a lab (I’ve got both ESX and ESXi running in VMs on Workstation). For instance, the number of ports per vSwitch is incorrect in the official documentation (it states 1016) but ESX showed 4088. Also, the number of vSwitches per host is incorrect too. I noted that your notes are correct Forbes ;-).

    Cheers guys and good luck!

    Reply

  3. Just an FYI…

    No longer available: Barry Coombs’ cue cards

    Thanks for your site. It’s great!

    Reply
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  5. Hi Everyone,

    Are there any vouchers/promotions going on currently to get discounts for VCP 410?

    Reply

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